In His ImageSample

Day 8: Reflection and Rest

Discover: Start your time of reflection by picturing an earth that is just a few days old. At first, it is filled with life. There is sense of finality in these verses; the word “finished” is used twice, yet it is also just the beginning. After six days of work, God takes the seventh day to rest and makes it holy, setting it apart from the others. He completes His masterpiece and declares it good. Now, the Creator participates in the Sabbath as the rest of history is about to begin.

Learn: God does not rest on the seventh day because he needs it. He is not exhausted but does it as an example to mankind. Unlike our Creator, we require time to rest and recover. God gives us rest as a gift, and the sanctification of the Sabbath is the first display of this truth. Just as God is the Author of the Universe, He is the Author and the Giver of peace and rest in our lives. The Sabbath represents the rest that we can have in Christ. We can live from a place of rest every day because we are capable of a relationship with the Creator of the Universe.

Apply: True restfulness is not found in taking a break or a vacation. True restfulness is a form of awareness, a posture we carry throughout life. It is living with a sense of ease that comes from a trust in the almighty Savior. We find ourselves truly restful when our ordinary life is enough. We do not have anyone to answer to or anything to prove to justify our need for rest. Rest in Christ. It is also wise to follow God’s example of taking a day of rest for you and your family. What does rest look like in your life? Do you find it difficult to reserve a day of the week for rest? Further, do you find it difficult to reserve a time each day to rest in the finished work of Jesus Christ? How can you make space for rest in your life?